The Mott Haven-Port Morris Plan Waterfront Plan (“the Waterfront Plan”), developed through a community visioning process led by South Bronx Unite, aims to increase access to the local waterfront and create green spaces to improve quality-of-life, mitigate air pollution, create better health outcomes, and protect the community from flooding from coastal storms and sea level rise.
Earth Economics, South Bronx Unite, and the Center for Sustainable Urban Development’s Resilient Coastal Communities Project collaborated to estimate the value of Waterfront Plan’s economic and community benefits.
The analysis finds that the Waterfront Plan will provide over $258 million (USD 2021) in social, environmental, and economic benefits every year.
In addition, the Waterfront Plan will support 537 construction jobs and another 1,063 jobs in related industries, generating at least $105.3 million (USD 2021) in local economic activity over 50 years.
Credit: South Bronx Unite
Waterfront access points, waterfront trails, and parks beautify the community, increase opportunities to be in nature, and provide spaces for people to gather and engage in healthy physical activity, improving physical and mental health and nurturing a greater sense of belonging. Water-side parks and greenspaces can also host education and community events that help people feel connected to each other and the neighborhood.
Street trees, and greenspace provide additional benefits, reducing air, water, and noise pollution and reducing extreme heat through evapotranspiration and shade.
Bioswales, rain gardens and pervious pavements also provide environmental benefits, including lower costs of managing stormwater. Bioswales and raingardens are large beds of mulch, low-growing plants, and trees that collect, store and filter polluted stormwater before it infiltrates into the groundwater.
